The item was featured on the agenda of the Supervisor’s meeting today. A copy of the resolution can be found here.

“We are delighted to have Modoc County join Siskiyou in seeking to establish the formation of a new state,” replied neighboring Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong. “Modoc County has validated our belief that the current state of California is ungovernable and its policies are unrepresentative of the needs and values of Northern California communities.”

While she admits that such a move amounts to a “Herculean task,” Armstrong outlines several compelling reasons for supporting the split. Armstrong states in the opinion piece, “It is a fact that we have little input into decisions affecting us. We have no clout in how state resources are allocated to meet our needs and very little to say about the myriad regulations and fees under which we are struggling.”

Much ink has been spilled on the topic of secession in California, particularly of late. Arguments have been made on both sides: critics alleging that the move by Siskiyou (and now Modoc) County amounts to nothing more than a publicity stunt while others have furthered the opinion that secession makes sense in California. It has reinvigorated the debate of fair representation, leading some analysts to underscore the fact that urban states need their rural counties.

Stay tuned for more details; we will be watching this story as it develops over the course of the next several weeks.